As we get to know our students at FPA, we try to
impart a sense of responsibility—not only for their
own future, but for the future of their communities as
well.
So what struck me about the profiles in this special
convocation issue is the sense that our students have
accepted that responsibility, and that the future will be
stewarded by a group of thoughtful, intelligent, and
caring graduates.
They will be working as policy analysts, journalists,
and social workers—to name a few—while some
will continue their studies. And they will be sharing
their ideas about addressing some of society’s greatest
challenges, including poverty, climate change, and
immigration.
This is our way of supporting our communities: by
providing NGOs, government institutions, and the
business community with graduates who can take on
their challenges, further their mission, and shape their
contribution to building and strengthening democratic
institutions.

FPA Voices • Page 1

Please join us in welcoming them into our
communities in Ontario, elsewhere in Canada,
and around the world. They’re prepared to make a
difference.

were in a hospital in Cuba and the phone was ringing,
but the receptionist was ignoring it. I asked my dad
why, and he pointed out that she had a guaranteed job.
So I learned about the trade-offs in that system.

An alumnus of the Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy
Management (BPAPM) program in 2012, Robyn will
receive the Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Economics at
the June convocation.

It opened my eyes to the fact that every system has
things you admire and other things that leave you
scratching your head.

Robyn Gibbard: Post-Baccalaureate
Diploma in Economics

When Robyn Gibbard applied for Carleton’s Bachelor of
Public Affairs and Policy Management program in 2008,
he imagined himself going to law school and eventually
working in politics.
But as is often the case, his path veered in a different
direction. Now, seven years later, he’s on his way to the
West Coast to pursue a Master’s degree in Economics at
Simon Fraser University.
You started your educational journey with a
Bachelor of Public Affairs and Policy Management.
What piqued your interest in public policy?
My parents were in the Canadian Foreign Service,
so I grew up in Cuba, Costa Rica, Mexico, Barbados
and Venezuela. That really showed me how social and
economic systems make a difference in people’s lives.
For example, everyone in Cuba is given a home and
food rations, so no one is hungry or homeless. There
is free education through the post-secondary level and
many of the health outcomes are better than in the
United States. But I also remember a time when we

FPA Voices • Page 3

You were accepted into law school, but you decided
to try working in a law firm first. What happened?
I spent six months working for a criminal lawyer
in Ottawa as a legal assistant, mostly making court
appearances, and I realized that wasn’t the path I
wanted to take.
So I decided to try politics, as an intern with the
Parliamentary Internship Programme. Only ten
students are selected in Canada and we each chose
two Members of Parliament to work with: one in the
government and the other in the opposition.
I worked with Conservative MP James Rajotte, the
Chair of the Finance Committee, and Roger Cuzner,
the Liberal critic for Labour and Employment and
Social Development Canada (ESDC).
It was a great experience, but I realized I was less
interested in the politics itself than in public policy.

CM m

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How did your BPAPM degree prepare you for that
experience?

The next chapter in your journey will be in
Economics. What attracted you to that?

It was fantastic because it’s interdisciplinary, so we
look at problems from many different points of view.
We’re taught to understand the legal context, the social
context, the political context, and the policy process
itself. When I was on Parliament Hill my work ended
up touching on a wide range of policies and, because
of my BPAPM degree, I felt I had a much richer
understanding of each of them, an ability to see them
from many different angles.

I came from a background with no mathematics
training, but I could see what a valuable skill this
would be in public policy. So I did the one-year
Post-Baccalaureate Diploma in Economics. The
mathematics was challenging, but the professors were
great and it was such a small group—fewer than 20—
that we worked together all the time.

So you were able to rule out two career options in
the course of a year. Some people spend their entire
lives trying to figure that out.
I was really thankful I had those experiences because,
in the case of law school, I would have spent three
years and thousands of dollars before I found out that
it wasn’t right for me.
It’s really easy to get on this treadmill after high school,
start university and then go right into a master’s, but
I would really recommend taking some time off after
high school and after your undergraduate degree to try
things.

What surprised me was that one of my favourite
classes ended up being in econometrics, which is the
application of statistical methods to economic data. I
was nervous about it, but Professor Simon Power did a
phenomenal job explaining complicated concepts.
After this one-year program, I had offers from several
top schools and I was able to get a scholarship from
the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council
(SSHRC) to pursue my master’s degree in economics
next year.
There’s this idea in North America that math skills are
something you’re born with, but the truth is it’s like any
kind of literacy: if you work really hard, you’ll learn it.

FPA Voices • Page 4

Graduating - 50 years apart: Hal Holt & Haley Ritchie

1965
Hal Holt graduated with a Master of Public
Administration (MPA) and was one of only six
students (all men) in the program that year. He had a
long successful career in Human Resources for public
sector reform projects in countries around the world.
Describe the MPA in 1965: The standards were
exceptionally high and it was a heavy course load. In
fact, I think all of us failed the exam in public law.
Faculty and Staff: We had really high-profile
professors, including former MP Pauline Jewett and
Ronald MacFarlane, who had led the MacFarlane
Royal Commission on Education in Manitoba.
Classmates: There were only six of us and most went
on to the public service. Since I was from Montreal, I
was always interested in Anglo-French relations and
the Quiet Revolution in Quebec. I did my research
paper on that topic.
Living on campus: I was a residence fellow and one
night, we intercepted some of our own students who
had done a “panty raid” on the girls’ residence hall.
They got into serious trouble. It was even on the front
page of the Ottawa Citizen.
Advice for future grads: It doesn’t matter if your
career takes a path that’s different from your degree.
For me, the discipline and the discussions were more
important in my career than the actual subject matter.

FPA Voices • Page 5

2015
Haley Ritchie is graduating with an Honours Bachelor
of Journalism (BJ) degree. She is one of 97 graduates
in a program that’s about two-thirds female. She’s now
working as a reporter for the Metro Ottawa newspaper.
Describe the BJ in 2015: It was intense. We were
writing papers every week. Not just 500 words, but
a story with at least three sources and background
research. Believe me; I wasn’t watching a lot of Netflix.
Faculty and Staff: We had two legends of journalism,
Kathryn O’Hara and Dick Gordon, teach us Intro to
Radio Journalism and a war correspondence course.
They invited journalists such as Anna Maria Tremonti
and Carol Off from the CBC to come in and we
interviewed them and wrote stories on behalf of the
Canadian War Museum.
Classmates: This was a group of very intense, very
ambitious and very talented students. It could be
intimidating at times, but other days you would get
lifted up by a story.
Living on campus: I lived in residence my first year.
It was a super high energy atmosphere. My roommate
and I decked our room out in second-hand hippie
décor.
Advice for future grads: Take advantage of any
opportunities that come along, whether it’s the
university newspaper, an internship, or freelance
writing. Employers will notice.
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Hearing these legendary
journalists open up to a
bunch of students about
some of their darkest
memories of war

River Building: We’re
so lucky to have such a
beautiful campus with the
river and the canal right
beside us.

The Staff and Faculty: I
felt well supported by a
university that took an
interest in my success
as a student and as an
individual.

Immigration. Canada
must be careful not to
discourage immigrants
who can’t meet every
requirement, but have
great potential.

Aboriginal rights. I think the
vast discrepancies in quality of
life and opportunity faced by
Aboriginal people as a result of
Canadian history is still largely
denied.

Getting the vote out
among young people

Systemic inequality in the
criminal justice system is
an extremely pertinent
issue.

The refugee crisis in
African countries and Syria

Climate change. Even
though there isn’t much
of a debate over climate
change anymore, a lot of our
industry and investments are
counterproductive to the cause.

Human rights, especially
for women, and climate
change

Inequality, leading to
unequal access to resources
including education,
unequal pathways to
achieve normative financial
goals, poverty, hunger, and
in many instances, crime

I learned that when
making decisions I should
always look at both sides
of everything and try to
balance them in the best
way as possible.

The most powerful tool to
affecting change is solid,
undeniable fact and the ability
to disseminate it in an effective
and accessible way.

It really opened my eyes
to what’s going on around
the world and gives you
the skills to think critically
about what you see in the
media.

I explored many theories
from a variety of disciplines,
which provided me with a
broadened understanding
of the causes and the
enduring effects of these
inequalities.

Study hard and the
rewards will come.

First and foremost, pick a
field you love. University
is a long and challenging
commitment that is
difficult to go through if it
isn’t really meaningful to
you.

Get involved and get to know
your professors! It will give
you so much more incentive
to go to class and always do
the best work you can do.

Meet your professors: They
are an excellent resource
if you are having trouble
understanding course
content, have questions
about assignments or exams
and helping you explore
post-graduate opportunities.

FPA Voices • Page 8

Isabelle Crew

Bachelor of Arts Honours (Law)
Isabelle Crew came to Carleton as a first-year student
with a thought of attending law school.
Then she read a paper about the legal rights of
the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, a First Nation
that stretches from Southern Ontario to northern
Pennsylvania. As with the start of many future research
projects, her curiosity was piqued.
What intrigued you about the story of the
Haudenosaunee Confederacy?
I found it fascinating. It’s one of the oldest continuous
constitutional systems in the world and it inspired
the writers of the U.S. Constitution. But there’s
this assumption that it lacks modernity—that it’s
traditional, in a pejorative sense.
In my third year, I took a course in aboriginal law
and I wrote a paper in which I analyzed its claim to
sovereignty and self-determination under international
law. I also published it in the Carleton University
Journal of Legal Studies. Essentially, I demonstrate
that the Haudenosaunee Confederacy meets the legal
definition of a sovereign nation.
Why is that significant?
Dismissing their claim of sovereignty is not a
legal argument, but more of an imperialistic
FPA Voices • Page 9

misunderstanding of the facts. What I’m trying to
demonstrate is that we can’t rely on a legal argument
to explain the discrimination and the lack of rights
granted to these communities. If we’re founded on the
rule of law, why isn’t it being applied equitably?
How did your experience at Carleton support your
interest in this field?
I was able to devote almost the entirety of my fourth
year to this issue. My favourite class was a tutorial in
law I took with Professor Betina Kuzmarov in which
we focused on the evolution of sovereignty and selfdetermination. We had deep conversations about
topics and readings that we both really cared about and
were incredibly engaged with.
Experiences like that really shaped who I am in an
academic capacity and pushed me intellectually to
places I didn’t even know I could reach. Really, I think
that’s the whole point of a university education.
What happens next in your journey?
I’ll be attending law school at Queen’s University,
where I will be able to continue this research. It’s all
part of a new wave of international human rights law
and it’s a really exciting area to be in right now.

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Carletonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first degrees were granted in Journalism and Public
Administration in 1942 on the First Avenue campus in the Glebe.
Both programs are now housed within the Faculty of Public Affairs.
FPA was created in 1997, joining together twelve academic units.

Data from Fall 2014

Greg McClinchey
Master of Political Management

Greg McClinchey started in politics at age 15 when he
volunteered for his local Member of Parliament and has
since learned the ins and outs of the political world while
on the job. Now the Chief of Staff for MP Judy Sgro, he
decided to “codify” what he’d learned by attending the
Riddell Graduate Program in Political Management.

and industry leaders. It was an amazing experience to
have that kind of access to these people.
How will this degree help you as you continue along
your career path?

You had 23 years of experience in politics. Why did
you pursue this degree?

I don’t see it as another arrow in my quiver—I view it
as the quiver itself. It ties together all of the ideas and
experiences I’ve been developing for the past 23 years.

I wish I had done this 20 years ago, especially Paul
Wilson’s class on the federal budget cycle. It would
have saved me a lot of frustration. Instead, I learned by
trial and error. But I wanted to do this to in some way
validate my work experience.

And the course is set up to encourage students to see
every problem through a considered and ethically
sound framework. Even if one opted to ignore that
framework—which is unwise—it would be impossible
not to be aware of it now.

What was the highlight for you?
The people: some of the richest learning came from
discussions with my fellow students. There were
international students, a Senate staffer, a provincial
MPP, members of the diplomatic corps, and human
rights observers.
In addition to that, the faculty who teach in the
program served in the highest levels of the federal
government and the guest speakers included a former
prime minister, a former chief of staff, media pundits,
FPA Voices • Page 11

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Alibek Sergaliyev
Bachelor of Arts Honours (Economics)

Sitting next to Alibek Sergaliyev in your class added
a whole new layer of learning to whatever was being
taught. He brought a unique perspective to his courses:
that of a citizen of Kazakhstan, a country wedged
between China and Russia.
How does a Kazakh student find his way to the
Carleton campus?
I grew up in the small village of Tsyganovo and my
father was the first in the village to attend university.
Then I won a presidential scholarship in my home
country, which enabled me to attend a Canadian
university to study economics. In return, I am going
back to share and apply what I’ve learned as an
economist.
How would you describe your experience in Canada?
It was wonderful and something I could only dream
about. I will definitely miss the classes and the
emphasis on practical applications. But even more than
that, I am going to miss the social aspect of university
life: the events, the parties, and meeting new people.
What have you learned in Canada and in Economics
that might be applicable in Kazakhstan?
One thing I’ve observed in Canada is how productive
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the people are. Productivity is a big issue in the Kazakh
culture. There’s a different mentality, so I hope I can
bring some of this efficiency into my workplace when I
return.
We also need to fight our dependence on natural
resources and diversify the economy. It is
happening—I see that some work is being done on that
matter—but it’s moving slowly.
What do you think your classmates learned from you?
I got involved with on-campus student groups, so I met
lots of people and attended social events every week.
These were the best years of my life so far.
Is there any advice you would offer other students
who will be starting at Carleton?
Enjoy every minute of it. There is a stereotype about
Kazakhstan because of the movie Borat. I feel like it’s
my mission to break that stereotype and tell people it’s
not like that at all. My people are very hospitable: if
anyone comes into my house, we automatically serve
them tea.
What’s next?
I owe my country five years of work as an economist.
FPA Voices • Page 12

Andrew Walker

Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership (MPNL)
In June, Andrew will be one of the first students to
graduate from the Master of Philanthropy and Nonprofit
Leadership (MPNL) program. After earning a BA in
English and Humanities at York University in 1998,
Walker began his career in the nonprofit sector. He is
now the Chief Operating Officer of Community Living
Huronia in Midland, Ontario.
You were working with nonprofits for about ten
years when you decided to pursue a Master of
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership. What drew
you to that program?
My goal was to move into a senior leadership position
within the nonprofit sector, but there aren’t many
of those because nonprofits have a very horizontal
structure. I hoped this degree would enable me to
make that move, and it absolutely did.
How did the MPNL degree help you in your career?
I hadn’t even finished yet, but I was interviewing for
my current job and they were asking me a lot about the
courses, what I had learned, and how I would apply it
in this position. So it helped me 100 percent.

FPA Voices • Page 13

It sounds like a fairly practical program.
Definitely. We worked on social media strategies,
financial forecasting, conducted research and
evaluation, and designed business plans for nonprofits.
Plus, I learned a lot from the guest speakers:
academics, practitioners, business people, nonprofit
professionals, and my fellow students.
What will be your biggest challenge in this new job?
Nonprofits are in a strict funding environment, but we
discussed different ways to generate revenue outside
of government. I’m looking forward to bringing that
into my present role because I work with lots of people
who have fantastic ideas and I want to give them the
resources they need.
What’s the best part of your job?
Our clients are people with developmental disabilities
who often feel isolated and don’t have access to the
full benefits of our community. It is tremendously
rewarding to see them achieve full citizenship and
inclusion within our communities.